Blue Ridge

[NW Mailing List]

Since the stone conveyor that used to go under the highway was removed a 
couple of years ago, I think the "stone cone" landmark is no
longer there.

Sam Putney
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "NW Mailing List" <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
To: "NW Mailing List" <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 2009 2:50 PM
Subject: Re: Blue Ridge



>I was in the area not long ago and couldn't find the Station or the First 

>photographers Bridge. But I think I found the Second. If I am not mistakes 

>it is across the street to the Stone Corp. Headquarters? can any one 

>confirm this for both myself and Mike.

>

> Nathan

>

> NW Mailing List wrote:

>> Frank,

>> Your directions for the Blue Ridge station area will be very helpful. I 

>> could use a little more help for the second  "photographer's bridge" 

>> though. Does the road leading to the bridge have a name? And what is Blue 

>> Ridge Stone Corporation's landmark crushed limestone "cone" ?  Is it 

>> something quite large? Thanks.

>> Mike

>>

>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "NW Mailing List" 

>> <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>

>> To: "NW Mailing List" <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>

>> Sent: Monday, August 24, 2009 10:07 PM

>> Subject: Blue Ridge

>>

>>

>>> Nathan:

>>>

>>> To get to the ex-Blue Ridge station site, take US 460 east out of 

>>> Roanoke toward Lynchburg, or the reverse from Lynchburg west.  At Blue 

>>> Ridge, get on CR 805 south off  Rte 460 (should the road have been 

>>> renumbered, just ask locals for "old 805" that goes to the NS 

>>> bridge-overpass near the station site) and head in about .3 mi.  When in 

>>> sight of the overpass, park along the roadside (little traveled).   Walk 

>>> east up a rise to the still-active NS tracks, just a minute or two's 

>>> walk.  The station site is east just several hundred feet from the 

>>> overpass, between the mainline and a spur off the WB main that circled 

>>> around the station on the north side. When I last visited the site early 

>>> in this decade the spur was still active for stone crusher service, 

>>> within sight to the east;  a track still departed north from the station 

>>> site (above-referenced curved track) to part of the limestone complex. 

>>> The station occupied a fairly tight squeeze between the WB main and the 

>>> curved track.

>>>

>>>

>>> There actually were two "photographer's bridges".  The most celebrated, 

>>> at the eastern end of a .75-mi s-curve and about .4 mi. west of the 

>>> station, was on  CR 616  about .3 mi south off Rte 460.  The bridge was 

>>> dismantled decades ago and not replaced.  CR 616 ends near the bridge 

>>> site,  but you'd have to make your way through lots of thicket to reach 

>>> the track.  I actually have walked  west along the track from the 

>>> station site to the bridge site, admittedly not so prudent.  But the 

>>> trek evokes an epic story.

>>>

>>>

>>> The second bridge sought by photographers in N&W's steam era still 

>>> stands (to my knowledge) just east of Buford's Gap (last and first 

>>> Appalachian challenges for EB and WB traffic, respectively; .7 mi east 

>>> of the station site) just east of the Blue Ridge Stone Corporation's 

>>> landmark crushed limestone "cone" on the south side of Rte 460.  Turn 

>>> south off Rte 460 on a private road leading to the bridge, a hop and a 

>>> skip away. The limestone "cone" will be in sight to your right.

>>>

>>>

>>> At Blue Ridge trackside  you'll find a bounty of aging, rusting track 

>>> hardware all over, dating back to the "glory days".  Also ankle-deep 

>>> cinder residue from the bowels of N&W's legendary fleet.  Mute 

>>> testimonials to a grand rail saga..

>>>

>>>

>>> The area signal tower, long gone, was at Villamont, about two miles east 

>>> of Blue Ridge, hard by the WB main.

>>>

>>> Frank Gibson

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>>>

>>

>>

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>

> -- 

> Nathan Simmons

> trainman51 at gmail.com

> http://www.t-51.org

> KI4MSK

>

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